The NFL Players Association has requested that former commissioner Paul Tagliabue be recused as arbitrator in the New Orleans Saints bounty case. / Junji Kurokawa AP

by Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY Sports

by Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY Sports

The next time anyone declines to comment publicly on an ongoing litigation, remember the first line of the NFL's response to the request by the NFL Players Association and Jonathan Vilma to have former commissioner Paul Tagliabue recused as arbitrator in the New Orleans Saints bounty case.

Because that line is a quote provided by Vilma this past Sunday.

"I think it's a good first step for Paul to be the neutral arbitrator," the quote reads, per the filing.

In non-legalese: Boom.

The NFL used Vilma's words against him in Friday's filing with the U.S. District Court in Louisiana to answer the union and Vilma's lawyer, who officially asked the court to appoint a neutral arbitrator earlier this week. The argument against Tagliabue was that he's a lawyer with the firm representing the NFL in the defamation suit brought by Vilma against commissioner Roger Goodell, who appointed Tagliabue arbitrator last Friday.

Basically, the league is saying Vilma changed his tune within a matter of days, even if his attorney Peter Ginsberg had raised concerns about Tagliabue's neutrality when he was appointed by Goodell.

"Mr. Vilma was right that Commissioner Tagliabue was a good appointment," the league's attorneys wrote. "Commissioner Tagliabue has the experience necessary to assess whether the conduct the players engaged in was detrimental to the League and, if so, to assess the propriety of the discipline that Commissioner Goodell imposed. It is difficult to think of anyone else more qualified."

In an email to USA TODAY Sports Friday, Tagliabue said he was currently in China but would be returning to the U.S. on Saturday. He declined comment on all of the recent events in this case.

The NFL is maintaining it has the right to appoint its own arbitrator, even one who has been involved with the league, based on the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

The NFL also provided evidence to show how discipline appeals of conduct detrimental to the league have always been heard by the commissioner or someone affiliated with the league. (Goodell clarified in his recent reaffirmation of the suspensions he's imparting discipline due to detrimental conduct and not salary-cap violations, which would fall under the jurisdiction of a special master.)

In short, the NFL believes the CBA provides no basis for the players to demand Tagliabue's recusal.

"This improper continuing effort to secure through litigation that which the NFLPA did not achieve in collective bargaining should be rejected," NFL lawyers wrote in Friday's filing. "The Union admits that it has no basis to accuse Commissioner Tagliabue of 'anything nefarious.' It concedes that Commissioner Tagliabue has not had any 'personal involvement in the investigation, arbitration or litigation of the bounty matter."

The NFL states the firm at which Tagliabue is a senior of counsel, Covington & Burlington, will not represent the league at the hearings for the four implicated players â??- Vilma, Will Smith, Anthony Hargrove and Scott Fujita â??- scheduled for Tuesday. The league will be represented by the firm Debevoise & Plimpton.

The NFLPA has until noon Monday to answer the NFL's reply in a filing with the court. It's unclear if, or how quickly, the court will rule on whether Tagliabue should serve as arbitrator.